Philippine government plans to regulate social media misinformation

The government of the Philippines is considering regulating social media to combat misinformation and disinformation. This comes after the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his surrender to the International Criminal Court. Claire Castro, Undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Office, spoke about the ongoing discussions for new guidelines. She confirmed the government is looking into policies to manage social media content. Castro noted that even the Supreme Court has faced issues with fake news. Recently, there were false claims about the court issuing a restraining order related to Duterte's arrest and calls for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s resignation. She emphasized that tackling fake news requires a collective effort. The government cannot handle this issue alone, and everyone needs to work together, including social and mainstream media. The PCO is also collaborating with the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police to investigate those spreading false information.